"Cinema is the evening class for discriminating adults."--Ousmane Sembene

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

NAGISA OSHIMA (1932-2013)

"I do not like to be called a samurai, but I admit that I have an image of myself as a fighter. I would like to fight against all authorities and powers."—Nagisa Oshima (1932-2013)

In the vast hierarchy of remembrances, I can't help but wonder if Nagisa Oshima's countenance will be included in this year's Oscar® memorial reel? It would be a crime against the senses, if not. Would I have even become familiar with Oshima's work had it not been for James Quandt's traveling retrospective "In the Realm of Oshima", which venued at Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive in the Summer of 2009? More importantly, would I have gained as much insight into Oshima's films without Quandt's informed introductions to several of the films in the series? I think the answer is evident.

On the sad occasion of Oshima's death, I revisit The Evening Class vaults.